Sand distributor



Nov. 6, 1951 J. ROME 2,574,287

SAND DISTRIBUTOR Filed Dec. '7, 1946 ff JF l l l l l l l x Il I! H Ill jwenor fase/viz 807726 yi T/Qz/ @f M Patented Nov. 6, 1.951

UNITED STATES'PATENT 4OFFICE: .f

A SAND DISTRIBUTOR Joseph Rome, Barre, Vt. Application December 7, 1946, Serial No. 714,740

l 14 Claims. This invention pertains to road sanding apparatus for use with automotive vehiclesand is designed to depositI sand in theangle between the road and the vehicle tread thereby to prevent skidding or to improve the wheel traction.

Apparatus of this type, as heretofore proposed, has often been of complicated and expensive character and in many instances requires serious structural changes in the vehicle in order that it may be applied. Furthermore, many such devices heretofore suggested, so far as is known to me, have not been dependable under the conditions of. daily use. Unless the sand employed be carefully sifted and graded for size, it will not flow at a uniform rate, even when dry, by gravity action, and when moist or non-uniform in grain size or when contaminated with clay or other impurities it tends to bridge and clog the delivery passages. These difficulties are increased in cold weather by the freezing of moisture which may bind the granular particles together.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide sanding apparatus of a simple type, capable of application without difliculty to existing automotive vehicles. A further object is to provide sanding apparatus which is dependable in operation and which will deliver ungraded and moist sand. A further object is to provide sanding apparatus having provision for removing sand mechanically from a. sand reservoir at a predetermined rate so long as any sand remains t be delivered. A further object is to provide sanding apparatus comprising means operative 1 mechanically to transfer sand from a reservoir to a delivery passage and which does not become clogged with sand even though the sand may be moist or dirty. A further object is to provide sanding apparatus operative to deliver sand onto the roadway in the angle between the road and the descending wheel tread, and so devised that the delivery chute is not readily injured mechanically nor clogged with frozen moisture fromthe road. A further object is to provide sanding apparatus capable of application, either to a passenger vehicle or truck, and having motor-driven' means' for removing the sand from the reservoir, the motor which drives the sand-removing means being controlled by a switch readily accessible to the driver. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a passenger automobile showing the sanding apparatus of the present invention (more or less dia- 2 grammatically) mounted upon the mudguard or fender of the right-hand rear wheel of a vehicle, the outer casing of the sanding apparatus being broken away and the sand reservoir being shown a in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the tread of the wheel of the motor vehicle and l0 showing the delivery c hute of the sanding apparatus arranged at the outside of the wheel so as to discharge sand directly beneath the wheel tread; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation, to larger scale, of i6 the sand-removing device removed from the other parts.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates the body of a passenger automobile having the right-hand rear wheel 2 provided with the tread surface 3. The vehicle body is furnished with a mudguard yor fender I which, in accordance with the present invention constitutes a support for and a part of the wall of the casing 5 of the sanding mechanism. This casing 5 may be an integral portion of the mudguard l `or attached to the outer surface of a standard mudguard. The left-hand rear wheel, while not shown, will obviously be provided with sand distributing means embodying the present invention, such as is here shown by way of example as applied to the right-hand rear wheel.

The casing 5 houses a sand reservoir 6, here shown as provided with the rear arcuate wall 1; the upwardly and forwardly inclined 'bottom wall 8; and substantially vertical parallel and laterally spaced side walls 9 and I0, respectively,

the wall Ill, as here shown, being a part of the fender 4. The sand reservoir or receptacle is furnished with a cover Il through which sand may be introduced into the reservoir.

From the forward part of the reservoir a delivery tube I2, preferably of substantially rectangular horizontal section, extends downwardly and preferably vertically to a point near the wheel tread. As here illustrated this tube comprises the rear wall I3 which is integrally joined to the bottom wall 8 ofthe reservoir at the junction point I4. This junction point defines the bottom of the entrance I5 to-the delivery tube I2. The

tube I2 has the forward wall I5 which extends upwardly, beyond said entrance, to the top of the reservoir, the cover II preferably being hinged to the upper edge of this wall I5.

Above the junction point Il of the walls 8 and I3 there is arranged a horizontal shaft l1 which may be journaled in the side walls I and II of the reservoir, the axisof the shaft substantially defining the top of the entrance II to the delivery tube. This shaft I1 forms a pivotal support for an elongate rigid carrier lII which is disposed between the walls I and II of the reservoir and which extends substantially to the arcuate wall 1 of the reservoir. This wall 1 is curved concentrically with the axis of the shaft I1 so that the free or rear end portion of the carrier II may swing downwardly from the position of Pig. 1 until it is substantially parallel to the bottom wall I of the reservoir, said end remaining at substantially the same distance from the inner surface of the wall 1.

A sprocket wheel II is nxed to the shaft I1 between the walls 1 and II of the reservoir, and a second sprocket wheel `2| is mounted to. turn onashaftcarriedbythefreeorrearond of the carrier II. Preferably the carrier II is of adjustable length, the adjustment being accomplished by means of a screw 2| (Fig. 4) or equivaient device. An endless chain is trained about the sprocket wheels II and 2l, this chain being formed of pivotally connected links 22. The shaft I1 is provided with a sprocket wheel 28 which is engaged by a sprocket chain driven by an electric motor 24 mounted-on the vehicle body at any convenient point, here shown within the mudguard I. This motor is connected by suitable conductorsv to a switch 2l (Fig. 1) located conveniently to the operator of the vehicle and is supplied with current from the electrical system of the vehicle. By closing the switch the motor 24 is energized, thus driving the shaft I1, the arrangement'being such that when the shaft I1 is driven the lower run of the chain is caused to move toward, the entrance II to the delivery e in the tube I2.

Recurrent links of the chain mountedfon the carrier II have outstanding brackets 2l to which are secured scraper blades 21. These blades are of stiff sheet material. for example stainless steel, each comprising an elongate body portion of a width such as to reach substantially from oneofthesldewallsofthereservoirtothe other. The body portion of each blade 21 is inclined with relation to the path of travel of the chain, the inclination being such that in the lower run of the chain the body portion of the blade inclines. upwardly and forwardly. 'Ihe forward edge of each scraper blade is preferably curved so as to contact the lower run ofthechaimthebladethusactinglikeaski to ride up and over the sand. while the rear edge portion 2I of each blade is curved in the opposite direction. so that in the lower run of the chain, the curved rear edges extend downwardly to constitutescraper elements for engagement with the body S of sand in the reservoir. The blades extend substantially from one side wall of the reservoir to the other and the blades at the lower run of the chain overlap and collectively form a continuous surface. Thus the sand within the reservoir can not directly contact the chain. The series of blades collectively constitute a sort of float resting on the surface of thesandsothat the chaincannot bury itself in the sand, the chain being held above the surface of the said and with the blades intervening between it and the sand so that the chain is shielded from the sand and is not clogged by sand or small stones entering between its links. Buch small amount of said as may accidentally enter the space above the series of overlapping blades, for example at the side of the conveyor. is discharged as the blades separate in passing about the sprocket wheel II. If desired, antifriction supports for the chain may be arranged intermediate the sprocket wheels II and 2l.

Spaced below the'lower' end of the delivery tube I2 there is arranged an inclined chute I2, preferably substantially fiat, although if deaired it may be curved and may have upstanding flanges at its forward and rear edges. This chute is preferably supported yieldably so that if subjected to blows it may yield without bending or breaking and will return to its operative position automatically. With this object in view it is preferred to support this chute 22 by means of a plurality of stiff coiled springs II and II, (Fig. 3) fixed at their upper ends to the casing I, or other convenient part, and secured at their lower ends to the chute I2. Preferably these springs or other resilient supports are housed within ajacket I4 of exible material, for instance waterproofed textile fabric, thereby to protect the springs and the chute from accumulations of mud. frozen. snow or the like. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the chute is disposed laterally of the wheel and so inclined that sand which falls freely upon it from the discharge end of the delivery tube I2 bounces off into operative relation to the downwardly moving tread of the wheel. `Whi1e this arrangement is desirable for use on passenger automobiles, it may be preferable, when mounting the device upon a truck body, 'to arrange'the delivery chute I2 directly in frontof the wheel treads so that on a multiple wheel vehicle. sand may be delivered beneath the treads of adjacent wheels. Obviously the reservoir, delivery tube and detlector may be located upon'any desired and convenient part of the vehicle, but in any event so that sand, which ,is thrown on from the deilector, will be delivered in operative relation to the tread of the wheel so as to provide the improved tracl tion eifect.

While an endless chain is here illustrated as a desirable way of supporting and moving the scraper blades 21 it is contemplated that an endless flexible belt may be used and that scraper blades of other types may be employed. The chain and blade construction herein illustrated and specincally described is not readily clogged by the accumulation of sand. Any sand which accidentally enters the space between the blades and the chain is automatically discharged as the blades open away from each other in passing upwardly about the sprocket II.

The arrangement is such. as herein disclosed, that the weight of the carrier II, with its chain 'and blades, is for the most part supported by the body B of sand in the reservoir, the left-hand or rear end of the carrier II being wholly unsupported except by the sand, the overlapping blades collectively forming ashield which floats upon the sand and which substantially prevents the sand from contacting the links of the chain so that clogging of the chain is avoided. As the chain is driven, the scraper elements 2I move along the upper surface of the body of sand in the reservoir and positively drag the sand along to the entrance II to the delivery tube I2. The sand which enters this entrance falls freely down through the tube I2, the transverse horizontal dimensions of which are greater than those of the entrance II. so that any sand which enters the upper end of the tube has ample room to fall without danger of clogging. As the freely alling sand leaves the lower end of the delivery tube it drops onto the chute 32 and is thus deected against or into the path of the wheel.

As the body of sand in the reservoir gradually diminishes, the carrier I8 swings downwardly about the shaft I1 as an axis so that the blades 21 continue to drag along the upper surface of the sand body and thus to deliver sand into the tube I2 until the entire supply of sand is exhausted. Throughout this operation the trans.- ier of the sand from the reservoir into the delivery tube is wholly mechanical and not dependent upon gravity. The blades 21 are preferably somewhat flexible and resilient and thus are effective, even though the sand is not of uniform grain size and even though the sand may contain impurities, such for example as clay.

While the sand delivery means here disclosed is useful for the particular purpose. described. that is to say to discharge sand from a reservoir to a point beneath the wheel of a motor vehicle. it is contemplated that the sand-discharging means. that is to say the pivoted carrier I8 with its blades, or its equivalent, may -be found of utility in discharging sand from a reservoir or pile for other purposes and it is contemplated that s'uch other uses of this sand discharging or transfer means fall within the scope of the present invention as deilned in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A road sander for sanding the road in advance of Athe wheel of a motor vehicle, said sander comprising a casing forming a lateral extension of the mudguard of the vehicle wheel, a sand reservoir within the casing, the reservoir, in iront-to-rear vertical section, being substantially segmental in contour and having substantially parallel vertical side walls, an arcuate rear wall and a forwardly and upwardly inclined bottom wall, means including a rear'wall deiining a downwardly directed delivery passage, the rear wall of said passage being/joined at its front end to the forward end of the inclined bottom wall of the reservoir, the junction of said walls defining the bottom of the entrance to the delivery passage, an elongate carrier within the reservoir, one end of the carrier being pivoted to turn aboutl a horizontal axis located substantially at the top of the entrance to the delivery passage. the carrier being of such length that its free end is adjacent to the arcuate wall of the reservoir, said wall being concentric with the pivotal axis of the carrier, an endless chain supported by the carrier, sand-'scraping blades carried by the chain, said blades being of a width to reach substantially from one side wall to the other of the reservoir, and motor means driving the chain so that its lower run moves toward the entrance to the delivery passage, the free end of the carrier with its chain being designed to rest upon and to be supported solely by the sand in the reservoir.

2. A road sander for sanding the road in advance of the wheel of a motor vehicle, said sander comprising a casing forming a lateral extension of the mudguard of the vehicle wheel, a sand reservoir within the casing, the reservoir, in frontto-rear vertical section, being substantially segmental in contour and having substantially parallel vertical side walls, an arcuate rear wall and a forwardly and upwardly inclined bottom wall, means dening a substantially vertical delivery passage having an entrance at its upper end, an elongate carrier Within the reservoir;

rier for transferring sand from the reservoir to the entrance to the delivery passage.

3. In combination in sand delivery apparatus designed to remove sand from the upper surface ofl a body of sand and including a motor driven endless chain and spaced sprocket wheels turning about parallel, horizontal axes for guiding the chain so that its lower run overlies the sand body. a series of ski-like blades each having a substantially flat body portion elongate in the direction of chain motion, each blade having an upwardly curved forward edge designed to ride up over the sand, means attaching the body portions of the blades to the chain, the attaching means being so designed that the body of the blade is spaced from the chain, the rear edge ofv each blade being directed away from the chain and constituting a scraper for withdrawing sand from theA sand body.

4. In combination in sand delivery apparatus designed to remove sand from the upper surface of a body of sand and including a motor driven endless chain and spaced sprocket wheels turning about parallel, horizontal axes for guiding the chain so that its lower run overlies the sand body, a series of ski-like blades carried by the chain, each blade having a scraper element at its' rear end, those scraper elements which are at the lower run of the chain at any given time being operativeto withdraw sand from the sand body, the ski-like blades constituting floats andbeing so constructed and arranged as by engagement with the sand to limit the depth to which their scraper elements may dip into the sand body.

5. A sand delivery apparatus comprising a sand reservoir, means dening a delivery passage, mean operative to transfer sand from the body of sand in the reservoir to the entrance to the delivery passage, said transfer means comprising an endless chain, a motor'for driving the chain, and a series of substantially rigid blades carried by the chain, each blade comprising a substantially flat body portion which, in the lower run of the chain, is inclined upwardly in the direction of movement of the lower run of they chain, the advancing transverse margin of each blade being curved upwardly so that its edge contacts the lower run of the chain and the rearward margin of the blade being curved downwardly to forma scraper for engagement with the sand;

, 6. Sand delivery apparatus designed to remove sand from a body of sand at a predetermined rate which remains substantially uniform as the body of sand diminishes, said apparatuslcomprising an y elongate carrier pivoted to swing about a horizontal axis at one side of th'e sand body, said carrier overlying the sand,body',.the free end of the carrier being supported solely by the sand body, an endless chain 'mounted on the carrier, the chain comprising a lower runwhich is below the carrier, means for driving the chain so that its lower run moves toward the pivotally supported end of the carrier, brackets carried by the chain at spaced intervals, a stiff blade so fixed at a point intermediate its transvese edges to each bracket that the body of the blade is spaced from 7 the chain, the forward margin of each blade being bent so that its free edge contacts the chain' yand including an elongate carrier pivoted to swing about a horizontal axis and which overlies the sand body with the free end of the carrier supported solely by the sand body and having an endless chain comprising pivotally connected links mounted on the carrier, said chain comprising a lower run which is below the carrier, characterized in that recurrent links of the chain have outwardly direetedbrackets and a blade so secured to each bracket that the body of the blade is spaced from the chain.. the blades overlapping at the lower run of the chain to form a substantially continuous surface, each blade having a substantially i'iat body portion which in the ,lower run of the chain is inclined upwardly in the direction of movement of the lower nin of the chain, the advancing edge of the blade being curved upwardly so as substantially to contact the lower run. of the chain, and the rearward edge of the blade being curved downwardly to form a scraper for engagement with the sand.

8. A road sander for applying sand to a wheel of an automotive vehicle. said sander being of the kind wherein sand carried by the vehicle is transferred to the entrance to a delivery passage by power-driven means constructed and arranged to be mounted/'on the vehicle, the transfer means including an elongate carrier pivoted adjacent one end to turn about a horizontal axis. and wherein an endless chain is supported by the carrier and carries a series of scraper elements. characterized in having a series of independent ski-like parts, having turned-up forward ends. secured to recurrent links rpectively of the chain and which ride upon the sand and collectively constitute a shield to prevent direct contactofthehainwith thebodyofsandinthe reservoir, said parts havingy turned-down rear ends which constitute the scraper elements.

move them in a path comprising a substantially straight run which overlies the sand.in the reservointhebladesbeingsodimensionedastoextend transversely substantially from one side to the other of the reservoir and 'at said sh'aight runtooverlapeachothertherebytoformasubstantially continuous supporting surface to rut upon the sand, each blade compsisim. a downwardly projecting sand scraping element and an upwardly directed forward end.

1l. Band transfer means designed to remove sand from a reservoir, said transfer means compriaing an endless power-driven chain having a substantially straight run which overlies the sandinthereservolnaseriesod substantiallyrigidpartscarriedbytheehamssid parts comprising blade-like elements which over- 'lapatthestraightrunofthechaintherebycol- 9. Sand transfer means designed to remove sand from a reservoir, said transfer means comprising an endless power-driven link chain and spaced sprocket wheels partially embraced by the chain and constructed and arranged to guide the chain so that a substantiallyv straight run of the chain overlies the body of the sand in the res ervoir, and a series of independent blades each secured in spaced relation to one of the chain lectively forming a support for the chain and a shieldtopreventdirectoontactoftheehainwith the sand and scraping elements which psoiect below sam shield.

l2. Apparatus for delivering sand to improve thetiretractionofavehiclewheelsaidawaratus including in combination, a und rues-voir comprisingspaoedsidewallsandabottomwall, thebottomwallsiopingupwardlytowardthemtrancetoadeliverypassagaanebmateearric within the reservoir, one and of the carrier being pivoted to turn about a horisontal axh located adjacenttothe upperendofthebottcmwalland approximatelyattbemaximumlevelofthesand inthereservoinmeansdedningadeliverypassage whoseentranceisadjaoenttothepivotedendof the carrier, motor-driven means on the carrier for transferring sand from the res'voir to the entrance to the delivery passage. and an inclined deflector located below the discharge md of the delivery passage and which is operative to deflect sand. falling freely thereon, into operative relstion to the tire tread.

13. Apparatus for delivering sand to improve the tire traction of a vehicle wheel. said apparatus including in combination, a sand rervoir mounted on the vehicle. the reservoir compiling -spaced,verticalsidewalls,anarcuaterearwall.

andaninclinedbottomwallwhichsiopesnpwardly and forwardly toward a delivery palage. means. including asuhstantially vertical wall, denning a downwardly directed delivery pelage, said vertical wall being Joined to the upper end oftheinclinedbottom walloftheroservolnthe .iunctionofsaidwallsdeiiningthebottcmofths entrance to the delivery passage. an elongate carrierwithinthereservoir.oneendoftbeearrierbeing pivoted to turnabout a horizontal axis locatedclosetotheupperendofthebottemwail ofthereservoirandsubstantiallyat`thetopcf theentrancetothedeiiverypalagamotordrivan titi links, said blades being of such dimensions lengthwise of the chain um at said straight'nm of the chain the blades overlap to form a substantially continuous surface for contact with the sand, each of said blades hhving its rear edge deflected downwardly so that it constitutes a scraper operative to drag the sand along in the direction of movement of said straight run of the conveyor.

l0. Band transfer means designed to remove sand from a reservoir of substantially uniform width, said transfer means comprising a series of ski-like blades and an endless power-driven oonvsyorsupportingsaidbladsssndasrangedto means'on the carrier for transferring sand from the reservoir to entrance to the delivery passage, and deflector means, below the dheharge end ofthe deliverypassage. arrangedtodeliver sand falling freely thereon into operative relation to the tire tread.

14. Apparatus for delivering sand to improve thetiretrsctionofavehiclewheel,sa.idappara tus including invcombination. a sand rervoir mounted on the vehicle, the reservoir comprising spaced. lvertical side walls andv an inclined bottom wall, the bottom wall sloping upwardly toward a delivery passage. means defining a substantially vertical delivery passage having its entranceadiacenttotheupperendoftheinciined bottom wall of the sand reservoir. an elongate carrier within the sapd reservoir. one end of the carrier being pivoted to turn about a horizontal axis located substantially at the top o1' the entrance to the delivery passage, an endless chain supported byl the carrier, sand scraping blades carried by the chain saidblades being of a width to reach substantially from one side wall to the other of the reservoir, and motor means driving the chain so that its lower run moves toward the entrance to the delivery passage, the free end of the carrier with its chain being designed to rest upon and to be supported solely by the sand in the reservoir.

JOSEPH nous.

5 Number Name Date 365,195 Oldham f. June 21, 1887 451,455 Corning May 5, 1891 897,942 Wangelin Sept. 8. 1908 |0 956,792 Beskow et al. May 3, 1910 1,320,249 Liggett Oct. 28, 1919 1,421,745 Taylor` L July 4, 1922 1,515,554- Day Nov. 11, 1924 1,617,111 Heronimus Feb. 8, 1927 15 1,758,484 van slyke May 13, 1930 1,902,873 Marone Mar. 28, 1933 1,949,861 Call Mar. 6, 1934 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

